Phil Karn, KA9Q, invented the /N network-bits-width notation back in ham AMPRNet-related documents in the 1980s, so it should be more properly known perhaps as "Karn notation" rather than "CIDR notation".

That certainly would be good, he has done tremendous work for the acceptance of internet protocols.

I like to bring this up from time to time to remind people that inventors deserve credit especially when they don't charge for their inventions.

Some time ago I noticed that my hack in PE1CHL-NET version 950819 (Aug 19, 1995):

TCP SYN packets are examined when routed, and the MSS option will be adjusted down to the maximum MSS possible on the incoming and outgoing interfaces. Thus, a more optimal end-to-end MSS is chosen, and fragmentation is avoided (e.g. when running IP over NET/ROM somewhere inbetween the endpoints)

pre-dates the addition of this feature in e.g. Cisco routers (ip tcp adjust-mss) by several years.... that would certainly have been patentable...

I'm reminded of this because Phil and I had dinner last night (he's doing well, thanks) and got to chatting about the old days of packet and AMPRNet.

Great to hear that!

Rob